(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a fine silicon nitride powder suitable for the production of a silicon nitride sintered body valuable as a high-temperature structual material.
(2) Description of the Related Art
High-purity .alpha.-type silicon nitride can be easily obtained by thermal decomposition of silicon imide, but most of powdery products have a shape of a needle crystal or columnar crystal, and therefore, if such a powdery product is used as the sintering material, the density of the molded body is very low, and the prior art has a problem such that a sintered body having a high cannot be obtained.